Liquid material composed of hydrogen and oxygen, regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen obtained from the liquid material, manufacturing method and device of the liquid material and regasified gas, and fuel composed of the liquid material and/or regasified gas which does not generate carbonic acid gas

ABSTRACT

A liquid material comprising hydrogen and oxygen is produced by electrolyzing an electrolysis solution containing 5 to 30% by weight of an electrolyte in an electrolysis tank using a group of electrodes disposed, within the electrolysis tank, while maintaining a spacing of 3 to 10 mm between adjacent electrodes under conditions of a current density of 5 to 20 A/dm 2 , a bath temperature of 20 to 70° C., and pH 14 or more (strongly alkaline) while applying vibration stirring, bringing the pressure of the resultant gas comprising hydrogen and oxygen to 0.1 to 0.5 MPa, and cooling the gas to −190 to −250° C. to liquefy the gas. The liquid material is stored, is returned to room temperature, and is gasified to produce a regasified gas comprising hydrogen and oxygen.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a liquid material obtained from a gascomposed of oxygen and hydrogen obtained by electrolysis under vibratoryagitation, a regasified gas composed of oxygen and hydrogen obtainedfrom the liquid material, a manufacturing method and device thereof, anda fuel which is composed of the liquid material and/or regasified gasand does not generate a carbonic acid gas when burning.

BACKGROUND ART

When water is electrolyzed, a hydrogen gas and an oxygen gas arerespectively generated from a cathode and an anode. Nowadays, this is inthe spotlight owing to arrival of hydrogen energy generation. However, amain trend in conventional methods is that a hydrogen gas is extractedand separated from an oxygen gas, and only the hydrogen gas is usedwhile the oxygen gas is disposed of. This is because a mixture ofhydrogen and oxygen gases explodes under a low atmospheric pressure of 2to 3 atm. Usually, this mixture gas is called a detonating gas.Therefore, pressing of a mixture gas of hydrogen and oxygen isprohibited under the Security Regulation for General High-Pressure Gas,Section 9 in Japan.

Conventionally, a mixture gas of hydrogen and oxygen is called a Brown'sgas. This technology relates to developments achieved by Dr. Yull Brownin Brown Energy System Technology PTY. LTD. in Australia. See PTL 1.

The Brown's gas is known to have a property of standing compression upto 5 kgf/cm² and changes back to water when the gas is pressed much, asdescribed in PTL 2, page 6, column 9, lines 5 to 8.

Meanwhile, the present inventor has proposed, in PTLs 3 to 5, techniquesfor manufacturing hydrogen and oxygen gases by using a vibratoryagitation means. Regardless of containing only hydrogen and oxygen ascomponents, a gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen obtained according toany of these methods is incredibly far more stable compared with a gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen which is obtained according to knownconventional methods.

{Citation List} {Patent Literature} {PTL 1} JP-U-3037633 {PTL 2}JP-A-2002-348694 {PTL 3} WO 02/090621 A1 {PTL 4} WO 03/048424 A1 {PTL 5}JP-A-2005-232512 SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

However, a range of use is greatly limited with only an embodiment ofdirectly using a gas generated by using techniques disclosed in PTLs 3to 5.

If a gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen obtained by electrolyzing waterunder vibratory agitation is liquidized, stored, and further regasifiedagain, use applications are enhanced limitlessly insofar as theregasified gas has the same physical properties and maintains a propertyof no explosion risk.

The present invention has a first object of providing a method and adevice for manufacturing a liquid material, and of providing the liquidmaterial itself, wherein the liquid material is composed of hydrogen andoxygen and obtained from a gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen obtainedby electrolyzing water under vibratory agitation, without losingpeculiar properties to the gas, apart from conventional techniques ofliquidizing hydrogen and oxygen separately.

The present invention has a second object of providing a method and adevice for manufacturing a liquid material composed of hydrogen andoxygen without losing peculiar properties to a gas composed of hydrogenand oxygen obtained by electrolyzing water under vibratory agitation,for storing the liquid material for a required time period in the stateof liquid, and for regasifying the liquid material at a required timepoint, and of providing a regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygenobtained by the method and device.

The present invention has a third object of providing a fuel which doesnot generate a carbonic acid gas at all when burning.

Solution to Problem

According to the present invention to achieve the aforementioned firstobject, there is provided a manufacturing method for manufacturing aliquid material composed of hydrogen and oxygen, wherein an electrolyticsolution containing an electrolyte of 5 to 30 weight % is electrolyzedin an electrolytic bath by use of an electrode group provided at aninterval of 3 to 10 mm in the electrolytic bath under conditions of anelectric current density of 5 to 20 A/dm², a bath temperature of 20 to70° C., and strong alkali, while subjecting the electrolytic solution tovibratory agitation, and a gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen which isthereby generated is liquidized by cooling.

According to an aspect of the invention, when liquidizing the gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen, cooling is performed with the pressureof the gas set at 0.1 to 0.5 MPa. According to another aspect of theinvention, when liquidizing the gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen,cooling to −190 to −250° C. is performed. According to still anotheraspect of the invention, the condition of strong alkali described abovecorresponds to pH 14 or more.

Further, according to the present invention to achieve theaforementioned first object, there is provided a manufacturing devicefor manufacturing a liquid material composed of hydrogen and oxygen, thedevice being used for practicing or executing the above-mentioned methodfor manufacturing the liquid material, the device comprising:

(A) an electrolytic bath;(B) an electrode group provided at an interval of 3 to 10 mm in theelectrolytic bath;(C) a vibratory agitation unit for subjecting an electrolytic solutionin the electrolytic bath to vibratory agitation;(D) a collection unit for collecting a generated gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen; and(E) a liquidizing unit for liquidizing the collected gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen by cooling.

According to an aspect of the liquid material composed of hydrogen andoxygen according to the present invention, which is manufactured by theabove-mentioned manufacturing method for manufacturing the liquidmaterial composed of hydrogen and oxygen, the hydrogen and oxygen existas liquid materials under conditions of −190 to −250° C. and 3 to 300kgf/cm². In the present specification, MPa and kgf/cm² are used as unitsexpressing pressures. However, these pressures are described supposingthat 0.1 MPa is substantially equivalent to 1 kgf/cm².

Also, according to the present invention to achieve the aforementionedsecond object, there is provided a manufacturing method formanufacturing a regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen, whereinthe liquid material composed of hydrogen and oxygen, which ismanufactured by the above-mentioned manufacturing method formanufacturing the liquid material composed of hydrogen and oxygen, isstored and thereafter gasified.

According to an aspect of the invention, heating is performed whengasifying the liquid material composed of hydrogen and oxygen. Accordingto another aspect of the invention, the temperature of the liquidmaterial is returned to a normal temperature by the heating.

Further, according to the present invention to achieve theaforementioned second object, there is provided a manufacturing devicefor manufacturing a regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen, thedevice being used for practicing or executing the above-mentionedmanufacturing method for manufacturing a regasified gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen, the device comprising:

(A) an electrolytic bath;(B) an electrode group provided at an interval of 3 to 10 mm in theelectrolytic bath;(C) a vibratory agitation unit for subjecting an electrolytic solutionin the electrolytic bath to vibratory agitation;(D) a collection unit for collecting a generated gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen;(E) a liquidizing unit for liquidizing the collected gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen by cooling;(F) a storage unit for storing a liquid material obtained by theliquidizing unit, and(G) a regasifying unit for regasifying the liquid material.

According to an aspect of the regasified gas composed of hydrogen andoxygen according to the present invention, which is manufactured by theabove-mentioned manufacturing method for manufacturing the regasifiedgas composed of hydrogen and oxygen, hydrogen and oxygen do notsubstantially react with each other under a pressure of 3 to 300 kgf/cm²but exist stably in gas states in a metal container.

Also according to the present invention to achieve the aforementionedthird object, there is provided a fuel which is composed of theabove-mentioned liquid material composed of hydrogen and oxygen and/orthe above-mentioned regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen, andgenerates no carbonic acid gas at all while burning.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, there are provided a method and adevice for manufacturing a liquid material, and the liquid materialitself, wherein the liquid material is composed of hydrogen and oxygenand obtained from a gas (initial gas) composed of hydrogen and oxygenobtained by electrolyzing water under vibratory agitation, withoutlosing peculiar properties to the initial gas.

Also according to the present invention, there are provided a method anda device for storing the above-mentioned liquid material for a requiredtime period in the state of liquid and regasifying the liquid materialat a required time point, and there is also provided a regasified gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen obtained by such method and device.

Further according to the present invention, there is provided a fuelwhich which is composed of the above-mentioned liquid material composedof hydrogen and oxygen and/or the above-mentioned regasified gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen, and generates no carbonic acid gas atall while burning.

The initial gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen, which is obtained byelectrolysis of water under vibratory agitation, is liquidized to obtaina liquid material composed of hydrogen and oxygen. The liquid materialis stored and is regasified to obtain a regasified gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen. The regasified gas has the same physical propertiesas the initial gas, and has an extremely low explosion risk.Accordingly, the liquid material composed of hydrogen and oxygen and theregasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen according to the presentinvention are applicable to an extremely wide range of use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. A schematic cross-sectional view of an electrolytic deviceincluding a vibratory agitation unit used in an example.

FIG. 2 A top view of the electrolytic device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 A cross-sectional view of a gas cylinder made of SUS304.

FIG. 4 A top view of the gas cylinder made of SUS304 shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 A side view of the gas cylinder made of SUS304 shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 A configuration diagram of a gas compression device.

FIG. 7 A configuration diagram of a combustion device used in theexample.

FIG. 8 A view representing a state of a flame obtained by burning a gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen, which is obtained by electrolysis undervibratory agitation.

FIG. 9 A view representing a melting state and a gasifying state of atitanium plate caused by a flame obtained by burning a gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen, which is obtained by electrolysis under vibratoryagitation.

FIG. 10 A view representing a melting state and a gasifying state of atantalum plate caused by a flame obtained by burning a gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen, which is obtained by electrolysis under vibratoryagitation.

FIG. 11 A view representing a melting state and a gasifying state of atungsten rod caused by a flame obtained by burning a gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen, which is obtained by electrolysis under vibratoryagitation.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the present invention, an electrolytic solution is electrolyzed in anelectrolytic bath under vibratory agitation, thereby to generate aninitial gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen. Techniques which can beused to generate such an initial gas are described in PTLs, e.g.,Japanese Patent Nos 1941498, 2707530, 2762388, 2767771, 2852878,2911350, 2911393, 3035114, 3142417, 3196890, 332084 and 3854006,JP-A-10-309453, JP-A-11-253782, JP-A-2000-317295, JP-A-2001-288591,JP-A-2002-53999, JP-A-2002-121699, JP-A-2002-146597, JP-A-2005-232512,WO 02/090621 A1, WO 03/048424 A1, and WO 2004/092059 A1, which relatesto inventions of the present invention.

Practicable vibratory agitation conditions are conditions described inthe foregoing PTLs.

The electrolysis is practicable under conditions described in theforegoing PTLs. Particularly in the present invention, an electrolyticsolution containing an electrolyte of 5 to 30 weight % is employed, anda group of electrodes is located in the electrolytic bath at intervalsof 3 to 10 mm. Applied conditions are a current density of 5 to 20A/dm², a bath temperature of 20 to 70° C., and strong alkali.

The electrolyte employed in the present invention is not particularlylimited, and NaOH or KOH is usually employed. Water to dissolve such anelectrolyte and prepare an electrolytic solution may be of any type, andion-exchanged water or distilled water is usually employed. Theconcentration of the electrolyte in the electrolytic solution is notparticularly limited but is generally 30 weight % or lower, preferably25 weight % or lower, or most preferably 15 to 25 weight %. In thepresent invention, if the concentration of the electrolyte is less than5 weight %, electric current flow decreases thereby increasingresistance, and electric current efficiency decreases thereby furthercausing increase in temperature. Consequently, decrease in generationamount of the initial gas further results. If the concentration of theelectrolyte is far more than 30 weight %, the electrolyte is depositedon the electrode plate, and electrolysis efficiency decreases as aresult.

In the present invention, if the current density is increased,electrolysis efficiency preferably increases in one aspect while thebath temperature simultaneously increases thereby adversely decreasingthe generation amount of the initial gas. In the present invention, arange of 5 to 20 A/dm² has been found to be totally suitable from alarge number of experimental results.

In the present invention, a range of 20 to 70° C. has been found to besuitable for the bath temperature in consideration of long timeoperation, a generation amount of the initial gas, electrolysisefficiency, etc., from a large number of experimental results.

The value of pH depends on the electrolyte used. A suitable pH value iscorrelative to electrolyte, electric current density, and bathtemperature. Also in the present invention, the best efficiency hasresulted under a condition of strong alkali of preferably pH 14 orhigher, as a result of repeatedly carried out experiments in variousconditions concerning electrolyte, electric current density, bathtemperature, etc.

Also in the present invention, electrodes constituting the electrodegroup are preferably maintained at a constant interval. This interval is3 to 10 mm, preferably 3 to 5 mm. The number of electrodes constitutingthe electrode group is preferably between 4 and 1000.

The initial gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen which is generated asdescribed above can be compressed to 3 to 300 kgf/cm². A storage device(tank or gas cylinder) can be downsized by highly compressing a pressureof the initial gas to 3 to 300 kgf/cm², and accordingly can be easilytransported and mounted. The compression range of 3 to 300 kgf/cm² issuitable for practicing the initial gas. In the present invention, whenliquidizing the initial gas, the pressure of the initial gas is set to0.1 to 0.5 MPa (preferably 0.1 to 0.3 MPa), and the initial gas iscooled to −190 to −250° C. That is, if an initial gas is stored under ahigher pressure than this range, the pressure of the initial gas isdecreased to 0.1 to 0.5 MPa, and cooling is then performed.

There may be used the same devices as described in the foregoing PTLsfor (A) the electrolytic bath, (B) the electrode group provided at aninterval of 3 to 10 mm in the electrolytic bath, (C) the vibratoryagitation unit for subjecting an electrolytic solution in theelectrolytic bath to vibratory agitation, and (D) the unit forcollecting a generated gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen.

As (E) the unit for liquidizing the collected gas composed of hydrogenand oxygen by cooling, a combination of a compression device which willbe described later and a cooling device wherein liquid helium is used asa coolant may be employed.

The initial gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen, which was obtained byelectrolysis under vibratory agitation, was stored in a container madeof stainless steel under pressure of 0.54 MPa, and was cooled to −222°C. by liquid helium. Then, there occurred a greater pressure drop to−0.03 MPa than a pressure drop caused by cooling. As can be understoodfrom this simple test, a fact that a pressure drop occurred exceeding avolume reduction caused by cooling proves that the gas was safelyliquidized. Therefore, the initial gas seems not to be a mixture ofhydrogen and oxygen in molecular states like the Brown's gas but can beconsidered to have caused any covalent bond of hydrogen and oxygen.

This fact complies with a phenomenon that the initial gas can be highlycompressed to 20 to 30 MPa and no pressure drop occurred from compressedstorage for six months using a gas cylinder made of stainless steel.

In the present invention, the liquid material composed of hydrogen andoxygen is stored for a desired period of time and then gasified(regasified) upon necessity, to obtain a regasified gas. When gasifyingthe liquid material, heating (including a natural temperature rise basedon removal of a coolant) is performed, and preferably the temperature ofthe liquid material is returned to a normal temperature by heating.

There may be used the same devices as described above for the foregoingitems (A) to (E) in the device used for practicing the method formanufacturing a regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen.

As (F) the storage unit for storing the liquid material obtained by theliquidizing unit, a metal container (a gas cylinder or a tank) made ofstainless steel can be used. As (G) the regasifying unit for regasifyingthe liquid material, a discharge device such as a nozzle or a burnerwhich discharges the liquid material into air can be used.

The present inventor asked Hokkaido University and Nagoya University tocarry out ingredient analysis of the initial gas composed of hydrogenand oxygen. Hence, atomic hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), a hydroxyl group(OH), and deuterium (D) were confirmed to be mixed in the initial gas,in addition to a hydrogen gas (H₂) and an oxygen gas (O₂). Thus,“composed of hydrogen and oxygen” which qualifies the regasified gas orliquid material and the initial gas in the present specification andclaims is intended to mean being composed of a material containing, ascomponents, hydrogen atoms (including deuterium atoms, tritium atoms,etc.) and oxygen atoms.

The regasified gas according to an aspect of the present invention hasthe same composition as a hydrogen-oxygen mixture gas described inJP-A-2005-232512.

Why accessory ingredients other than hydrogen and oxygen gases are mixedin by only physical operation of vibratory agitation will now beconsidered below. A key to answer this question is to change, intonanobubbles, a gas generated by electrolysis under vibratory agitationat a normal temperature under a normal pressure. The change intonanobubbles is exactly what produces new chemical reactions beyondconventional science, which lead to generation of a nonexplosivecovalent bond gas.

The gas is nonexplosive regardless of being composed of hydrogen andoxygen because gasses of the accessory ingredients are generated, wellbalanced as a natural process which accompanies no artificialcompulsion. The gasses of the accessory ingredients function as a bufferwhich prevents explosion caused by reaction between hydrogen and oxygen.

Sizes of generated bubbles extremely differ between electrolysis undervibratory agitation according to the present invention and conventionalelectrolysis. In electrolysis according to a conventional method,bubbles formed by oxygen and hydrogen gases have sizes of 1 to 5 mmφwhich are visible for naked eyes. In contrast, in electrolysis accordingto the present invention under vibratory agitation, bubbles have sizesof 5 to 700 nm which are invisible for naked eyes, e.g., 20 to 700 nm or5 to 200 nm, and water becomes to a state in which the entire waterseems to be “milky”.

For example, if a spark is created above an electrolytic solution beingelectrolyzed with use of an electrolytic bath having an opening of 1000mm×2000 mm, hydrogen and oxygen gases explode when creating a spark incase of the conventional electrolysis. However, a gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen, which is obtained by electrolysis under vibratoryagitation according to the present invention, does not explode at alleven if a spark is created.

When hydrogen obtained by the conventional electrolysis is stored in ametal gas cylinder (in place of a gas cylinder made of stainless steelused in examples, a metal gas cylinder made of steel, cast iron, oraluminum alloy may be used), the gas cylinder is embrittled by hydrogenor hydrogen escapes permeating through the metal gas cylinder.Therefore, long-term storage is impossible. However, a gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen, which is obtained by electrolysis under vibratoryagitation, can be compressed under a high pressure (e.g., the gas couldbe compressed to 200 kgf/cm²:20 MPa without causing explosion). Besides,there is an actual result that a gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen,which was compressed and stored in a gas cylinder made of stainlesssteel under 10 MPa, did not cause hydrogen leakage at all even throughlong-term storage for six months but maintained initial pressure of 10MPa.

According to conventional common sense, it is considered that, if amixture gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen, which is obtained byelectrolysis under vibratory agitation, is liquidized, features of thisgas are lost and the gas changes to mere water as the Brown's gas does.

However, the gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen, which is obtained byelectrolysis under vibratory agitation, has been found to have asurprising property that, if the gas is liquidized by compression to 5kgf/cm² and cooling to −220° C. by using liquid helium, the gas does notreturn to mere water but a gas obtained by regasifying the liquidmaterial returns to a gas (a regasified gas) having equivalent physicalproperties to the initial gas and exhibits the peculiar property again.

The Brown's gas is known to explode due to molecular friction betweenhydrogen and oxygen gases when compressed to 0.2 MPa or more. However,as described above, the gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen, which isobtained by electrolysis under vibratory agitation, has a peculiarproperty that the gas can be stored stably for a long period of time ina highly compressed state of 20 to 30 MPa and causes no explosion. Thesewonderful properties are not lost even after the gas is liquidized andthereafter regasified. That is, in case of the regasified gas accordingto the present invention, hydrogen and oxygen gases do not substantiallyreact under a pressure of 3 to 300 kgf/cm² but these gases can existstably in gas states in a container. Further, the liquid materialaccording to the present invention can exist as a liquid underconditions of −190 to −250° C. and 3 to 300 kgf/cm².

In conventional rocket fuels, hydrogen and oxygen are compressed,liquidized, and stored in separate tanks, respectively, because ofdanger. Hydrogen and oxygen are jetted and mixed immediately before use.Nevertheless, explosions often occurred in fact. In the gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen according to the present invention, hydrogen andoxygen are not mixed in molecular states but exist stably in a certainconnection state. Therefore, the gas can be repeatedly gasified andliquidized, can be handled far more safely than in the conventionalcombustion systems of jetting and mixing liquid hydrogen and liquidoxygen, and further can be stored for a long period of time.Accordingly, application of the gas to a rocket fuel is available. Inthis manner, the gas can be expected to dramatically contribute to spaceengineering.

In addition, if the liquid material or regasified gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen according to the present invention is burnt, nocarbonic acid gas is generated at all. Therefore, the liquid material orregasified gas is ideal clean energy. Further, what is generated as aresult of combustion is water, i.e., an indispensable material for humanbeing is supplied by burning the liquid material or regasified gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen according to the present invention.

A fuel formed of the liquid material or regasified gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen according to the present invention is capable ofburning an emulsion (a water content of 70%) with an oil including agreat amount of water.

If the liquid material or regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygenaccording to the present invention is used, tungsten can be gasified byheating for only one second or so. This suggests that the liquidmaterial or regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen according tothe present invention has extremely high energy.

Since the liquid material or regasified gas composed of hydrogen andoxygen according to the present invention thus has extremely highenergy, there is hidden potentiality that elemental transmutation can becaused by using the gas.

The device for manufacturing the liquid material or regasified gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen according to the present invention neednot be provided with a diaphragm between electrodes because the liquidmaterial or regasified gas obtained has an extremely low explosion risk.

The liquid material or regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygenaccording to the present invention is useful as a fuel for a fuel cell,and has resulted in electromotive force which is greater by 5 to 7% thanin case of using pure hydrogen as a fuel.

In particular, the liquid material or regasified gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen according to the present invention is useful as anenergy source for gas electric power generator. For example, electricpower was generated by supplying a portable gas electric power generatorwith a liquid material or regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygenaccording to the present invention with the pressure of the material orgas adjusted to 0.2 MPa. An engine worked comfortably and could lightenan electric bulb of 100 W. Therefore, use as an energy source for a gaselectric power generator is expected.

The liquid material or regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygenaccording to the present invention in a highly compressed state can bedirectly used as a fuel for engines of vehicles and other machineries.As a result, reduction of CO₂ can be realized in a short period, andaccordingly, prevention of global warming can be achievedinstantaneously.

Further, the liquid material or regasified gas composed of hydrogen andoxygen according to the present invention can be used as a new cleanfuel for home use, which will take the place of city gas or propane gas.Realization thereof is expected to come in the near future.

Examples

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described below withreference to examples. However, the examples do not limit the presentinvention at all.

An electrolytic device (gas generation device) comprising a vibratoryagitation unit represented in FIGS. 1 to 2 was used. This device isequivalent to commercial “Hydrogen/Oxygen Gas (OHMASA-GAS) GenerationDevice” (manufactured by JAPAN TECHNO CO., LTD.) which is a productname. In an electrolytic bath of this device, KOH aqueous solutioncontaining KOH of 15 weight % at a normal temperature was prepared. Inaccordance with device specifications, electrolysis was performed whilethe vibratory agitation unit was driven to supply vibration of 35 to 50Hz to vibration blades. As a result of vibratory agitation caused by thevibration blades, gases electrolytically generated on the electrodegroup (cell) constituted by plural electrodes opposed to each other werechanged into as small bubbles as cannot be observed with eyes, i.e.,bubbles of nano sizes. The bubbles were dispersed into the solution andthen discharged to the upper space of the electrolytic bath. In order toallow a burning flame of a gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen to beobservable with eyes, a system was employed which burns the generatedgas composed of hydrogen and oxygen after dipping the gas through analcohol bath.

Reasons why the gas was dipped through the alcohol bath are to adjust aburning temperature and to put a gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen ina state observable with eyes by dipping the gas through an alcohol bathbecause this gas is colorless and transparent and its flame which is notobservable with eyes is dangerous if the gas is burnt. Therefore, noalcohol bath is required insofar as no problem occurs if a combustiongas need not be observable with eyes.

The gas manufactured by a method as described above was subjected to acompression test, a leakage test, and a drop test as follows by anindependent administrative agency BUILDING RESEARCH INSTITUTE.

<Compression Test>

A low pressure compression test was carried out in which a gas composedof hydrogen and oxygen obtained by electrolysis of water under vibratoryagitation was injected into a gas cylinder made of stainless steel(SUS304) represented in FIGS. 3 to 5 under a pressure of 3 to 20 kgf/cm²applied. No explosion occurred.

More specifically, the low pressure compression test was carried out ina manner as follows by using a device represented in FIG. 6. FIG. 6represents a state before staring the low pressure compression testwherein states of valves were as follows:

-   -   Valve A: Close    -   Valve B: Close    -   Valve C: Open    -   Valve D: Open    -   Valve E: Close    -   Valve F: Open    -   Valve G: Open    -   Valve H: Close    -   Valve I: Open    -   Other valves: Close

After checking that the valves were put in the aforementioned statesrespectively, the low pressure compression test was carried out in anoperation procedure as follows.

<Operation Procedure 1>

Open the valves B and E, close the valve F, open the valve H, and closethe valve I. Next, connect a water tank pipe (denoted by a broken line)to a joint port to a generation device of a gas composed of hydrogen andoxygen. Feed water to low and high pressure tanks by a low pressurebooster pump, thereby to discharge air from both tanks. Close the valveB upon completion of the discharge.

<Operation Procedure 2>

Disconnect the water tank pipe (denoted by a broken line) connected, inaccordance with the operation procedure 1, to the joint port to thegeneration device of the gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen. Connectthereto a gas pipe from the generation device of the gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen.

Close the valve C and open the valve A. Next, open the valve B to feedthe gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen, and discharge water from thehigh and low pressure tanks. Close the valve A upon completion of thedischarge of water, and inject the gas composed of hydrogen and oxygeninto the tanks until the pressure of each tank reaches 0.2 MPa. Closethe valve B upon completion of the injection.

A procedure for compression to a high pressure is as follows.

<Operation Procedure 3>

Open the valve C, and feed water to the low pressure tank by the lowpressure booster pump to compress the gas in the tank to 1.8 MPa. Closethe valves D and E upon completion of the compression.

<Operation Procedure 4>

Open the valve F, and feed water to a high pressure tank having a largercapacity by a high pressure booster pump, to compress the gas. Compressthe inside of a high pressure tank having a smaller capacity to 10 MPa.Further, open the valves D and E to discharge water in the high pressuretank having a greater capacity to the low pressure tank, in order toattain compression to a high pressure of 2 to 20 MPa. Then, close thevalves D and E upon completion of the discharge. Operation of thisoperation procedure 4 is repeated until a predetermined pressure isattained. In accordance with this procedure, a high pressure compressiontest at 20 to 200 kgf/cm² was carried out actually, and no explosionoccurred.

From this experiment proved that a conventional mixture gas of hydrogenand oxygen explodes when the pressure reaches 3 kgf/cm² while a gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen obtained by electrolysis of water undervibratory agitation does not explode.

<Leakage Test>

On Oct. 8, 2003, a “gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen obtained byelectrolysis under vibratory agitation” was filled in a gas cylindermade of stainless steel (SUS304), with the gas compressed to a highpressure of 100 kgf/cm² and further cooled (to such a temperature thatdoes not cause liquidizing). The gas maintained in this state was storedfor about half year until Mar. 8, 2004. In this while, 100 kgf/cm² waskept pointed on a pressure meter gauge and never changed.

Screw parts of a pressure meter set on the gas cylinder were sealed withordinary Teflon (registered trademark) member. It was confirmed thatthere was no gas leakage at all from those parts.

Compared with a usual case of pure hydrogen which easily causes leakageto decrease the pressure, a gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen obtainedby electrolysis under vibratory agitation is found to have an excellentstorage property. This fact also suggests that hydrogen and oxygen arenot independently in gas states but there is a possibility of existenceof a new compound of hydrogen and oxygen.

<Drop Test>

A gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen was filled in the gas cylindermade of stainless steel under 1 MPa, and the gas cylinder was droppedfrom a position at a height of 5 m. No phenomenon like an explosionoccurred.

A gas cylinder (3.8 L) made of stainless steel filled with a gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen and compressed to 10 MPa was put on acar. The car was driven to go round at a circuit track several times inparticular premises while applying the same vibration as on ordinaryroads until the car reached a velocity of 200 km/hour. No trouble wasfound concerning the gas cylinder and the pressure of the filled gas.

<Combustion Test> (1) Combustion Test on High Melting Point Metal:

FIGS. 9 to 11 represent burning states of metals having a high meltingpoint. A device represented in FIG. 7 was used for the combustion test.

A photograph in FIG. 8 shows a state of flames of a gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen obtained by electrolysis under vibratory agitation,and shows a sandwich structure in which a blue flame of hydrogen issandwiched between red flames of oxygen. Flames involved no explosionand calmly showed a bluish white burning state.

FIG. 9 represents a case that a gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen wasburnt with a distance of about 10 mm maintained between a titanium(melting point: 1667° C.) plate and a flame of the gas burning. Thetitanium plate was melted and gasified instantaneously.

FIG. 10 represents a case that a gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen wasburnt with a distance of about 10 mm maintained between a tantalum(melting point: 2980° C.) plate and a flame of the gas burning. Thetantalum plate was melted and gasified in two to three seconds.

FIG. 11 represents a case that a gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen wasburnt with a distance of about 10 mm maintained between a tungsten(melting point: 3380° C.) rod and a flame of the gas burning. Thetungsten rod was melted and gasified in two to three seconds.

Size of the plates and rod used in the test were as follows.

-   -   Titanium plate: 15 mm×150 mm×0.5 mm (t)    -   Tantalum plate: 15 mm×150 mm×1.0 mm (t)    -   Tungsten rod: 3.2 mm        These members were cut test pieces, and thicker plates can be        cut into pieces by the flame of the gas burning in actuality.

A burning temperature of the conventional mixture gas of hydrogen andoxygen gases is regarded to be about 1200 to 2500° C. though the burningtemperature varies depending on a mixing ratio. At this burningtemperature, tantalum or tungsten cannot be melted. In the abovecombustion test, the burning temperature was set to be higher by 1000 to2000° C. than that of the conventional mixture gas.

A burning temperature of this gas composed of hydrogen and oxygenobtained by electrolysis under vibratory agitation is as relatively lowas about 600 to 700° C. As described above, the gas can exhibit highenergy depending on target objects.

The gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen obtained by electrolysis undervibratory agitation according to the present invention burns withoutconsuming oxygen in the atmospheric air. As a result, combustion heatgeneration at a discharge port of a burner was so small that thedischarge port could be touched by hands without feeling hot just afterthe completion of the combustion test. This can be regarded to suggestthat, in case of the gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen obtained byelectrolysis under vibratory agitation, a chemical reaction occurs froma mechanism different from a mechanism of the conventional combustionreaction of a heat generation type.

(2) Cost Comparison in a Steel Plate Fusion Cutting Test

For references, Table 1 presents a cost comparison between cases ofcutting steel plates (12 mm) respectively by using a gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen obtained by electrolysis under vibratory agitation,and an acetylene gas. The gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen obtainedby electrolysis under vibratory agitation was found to result in costreduction by half, compared with the case of using an acetylene gas.

TABLE 1 Manufacturing cost Cost for for gas consumed oxygen used Totalcost Acetylene gas ¥18.7 ¥57.7  ¥76.4 (115 liters used) Gas composed of¥1.19 ¥32.95 ¥34.14 hydrogen and (65.9 liters used) oxygen obtained byelectrolysis under vibratory agitation

Concerning use of oxygen, oxygen in a commercially available oxygen gascylinder was used when burning the acetylene gas. When burning a gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen obtained by electrolysis under vibratoryagitation, oxygen as a component of the gas was used.

In order to accurately specify components, developments in a dedicatedanalysis device had to be brought into view. As a temporary measure, aslong as liquidizing could be realized at an ultralow temperature, therewas a possibility of proving existence of new molecules. A specialdedicated cooling device capable of cooling to −260° C. was developedand manufactured, to liquidize the gas composed of hydrogen and oxygenaccording to the present invention.

This liquidizing device was designed to display and record a coolingtemperature and a pressure of a gas on real time, and had noteworthyfeatures that an inspection window of about 40 mmφ was provided at alower part of the device, and that a transparent grass tube of about 15mmφ for containing a liquid was set inside, so that a state ofliquidizing start, conditions of a liquid, and color tones could beobserved on real time with eyes through the inspection window from theoutside of the device.

Observation with eyes was intended to prevent mistakes in data analysisdependent only on pressures and temperatures because of the new gas.

Next, a new dedicated liquidizing device was manufactured for the gasaccording to the present invention, and a preliminary liquidizing testwas carried out for each of a single oxygen gas and a single hydrogengas.

[1] LIQUIDIZING A SINGLE OXYGEN GAS

1) Before flowing a pure oxygen gas into the device, the inside of thedevice was cooled to −150° C. in advance. An oxygen gas was flowed intothe cooled device under 0.2 MPa at a gas flow rate of 200 scc/min(standard cc/min). A liquidizing test of oxygen was carried out bydecreasing the cooling temperature gradually in steps of 0.01° C.2) Liquidizing started from −183° C. exactly according to a theoreticalvalue and could be observed with eyes from the inspection window. Aliquid thereof looked transparently light blue.3) As the temperature was further decreased, it was observed with eyesthat crystal of liquid oxygen from near −225° C. started depositing, andthe entire liquid oxygen crystallized at about −230° C.4) After confirming the above, the temperature was gradually increasedto completely gasify oxygen.

[2] LIQUIDIZING A SINGLE HYDROGEN GAS

1) As in the case of oxygen, the inside of the device was cooled to−240° C. in advance. A hydrogen gas was subjected to a hydrogenliquidizing test under 0.2 MPa at a gas flow rate of 200 scc/min whiledecreasing the cooling temperature gradually in steps of 0.01° C. Then,liquidizing which started from about −252.5° C. exactly according to atheoretical value could be observed with eyes from the inspectionwindow.2) A color tone of the liquid looked colorless and transparent.3) After decreasing the temperature to about −255° C., the temperaturewas increased gradually to gasify all hydrogen. A preliminary test wasthus finished.

[3] LIQUIDIZING TEST OF A GAS COMPOSED OF HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN ANDREGASIFYING TEST OF THE LIQUIDIZED GAS ACCORDING TO THE PRESENTINVENTION

1) As in the preliminary test, the inside of the device was cooled to−150° C. in advance. A gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen according tothe present invention was flowed into the device under 0.2 MPa at a gasflow rate of 200 scc/min while decreasing the temperature gradually insteps of 0.01° C. Then, liquidizing started from −178.89° C., and a“colorless transparent liquid” could be observed with eyes.2) Although the temperature was gradually decreased, the liquid stayedas liquid and caused no deposition of crystal even at −225° C. at whichcrystal of liquid oxygen starts depositing.3) Further, the temperature was decreased to −255° C. However, theliquid yet stayed as liquid, and crystal was not observed at all.4) Thereafter, the temperature was gradually increased to gasify the gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen according to the present invention,which was stored into the gas cylinder. The regasified gas was burnt,and a flame thereof was brought into contact with, for example, titaniummetal. Then, the metal was observed to instantaneously sparkle andgasify.

[4] LIQUIDIZING TEST OF A MIXTURE GAS OF HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN

1) In order to clarify that the liquid material or gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen according to the present invention differs from amixture of hydrogen and oxygen, a commercially available hydrogen gasand a commercially available oxygen gas were mixed up in a manner asdescribed below, and were liquidized in a manner as described above. Aliquidizing temperature thereof was measured, and a color of theliquidized material was observed. Proper setting of pressures isconsidered to principally contribute to safe completion of such a test.This fact was a discovery.2) As in the preliminary test, the inside of the device was cooled to−150° C. in advance. Thereafter, a commercially available hydrogen gasand a commercially available oxygen gas were flowed into the deviceunder 0.2 MPa at gas flow rates respectively adjusted to 200 scc/min forhydrogen and 100 scc/min for oxygen while decreasing the temperaturegradually in steps of 0.01° C. Then, liquidizing started from −182.50°C., and a “liquid of light blue which is a color of liquid oxygen” couldbe observed with eyes.3) Although the temperature was gradually decreased, the liquid stayedas liquid and caused no deposition of crystal even at −225° C. at whichcrystal of liquid oxygen starts depositing.4) Further, the temperature was decreased to −250° C. However, theliquid yet stayed as liquid, and crystal was not observed at all.5) From the above, as expected, the liquid material or gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen according to the present invention was proved todiffer from a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen.

[5] LIQUIDIZING A GAS COMPOSED OF HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN GENERATED BYELECTROLYSIS OF WATER AND REGASIFYING THE LIQUIDIZED GAS

Liquidizing and regasifying are not limited to the gas generation unitdescribed above but may be applied to a gas generated from any other gasgeneration unit.

[6] CONCLUSION

The followings are features of the liquid material or gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen according to the present invention, which have beenconfirmed through the above experiments. It is worth notice that theexistence of a new compound of hydrogen and oxygen is demonstrated.

a) A liquidizing temperature thereof is about −179° C. which is a“higher temperature” by about 4° C. than that of oxygen.b) A liquid thereof has a “colorless transparent” color tone.c) “No crystallization” occurs at a ultralow temperature of −255° C.d) The liquid material composed of hydrogen and oxygen according to thepresent invention starts gasifying when the temperature increases to behigher than the liquidizing temperature. A regasified gas is consideredto maintain substantially the same energy as before being gasified.e) Conventionally, oxygen and hydrogen generated from electrolysis ofwater are considered to form a mixture gas thereof. However, the gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen according to the present invention isconsidered to be a compound forming a completely “new bond of oxygen andhydrogen” from the various tests described above.

1. A method for manufacturing a liquid material composed of hydrogen andoxygen, wherein an electrolytic solution containing an electrolyte of 5to 30 weight % is electrolyzed in an electrolytic bath by use of anelectrode group provided at an interval of 3 to 10 mm in theelectrolytic bath under conditions of an electric current density of 5to 20 A/dm2, a bath temperature of 20 to 70° C., and strong alkali,while subjecting the electrolytic solution to vibratory agitation, and agas composed of hydrogen and oxygen which is thereby generated isliquidized by cooling.
 2. The method for manufacturing a liquid materialcomposed of hydrogen and oxygen according to claim 1, wherein, whenliquidizing the gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen, cooling isperformed with the pressure of the gas set at 0.1 to 0.5 MPa.
 3. Themethod for manufacturing a liquid material composed of hydrogen andoxygen according to claim 1, wherein, when liquidizing the gas composedof hydrogen and oxygen, cooling to −190 to −250° C. is performed.
 4. Themethod for manufacturing a liquid material composed of hydrogen andoxygen according to claim 1, wherein the condition of strong alkalicorresponds to pH 14 or more.
 5. A device for manufacturing a liquidmaterial composed of hydrogen and oxygen, the device being used forpracticing the method for manufacturing the liquid material according toclaim 1, the device comprising: (A) an electrolytic bath; (B) anelectrode group provided at an interval of 3 to 10 mm in theelectrolytic bath; (C) a vibratory agitation unit for subjecting anelectrolytic solution in the electrolytic bath to vibratory agitation;(D) a unit for collecting a generated gas composed of hydrogen andoxygen; and (E) a unit for liquidizing the collected gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen by cooling.
 6. A liquid material composed ofhydrogen and oxygen, which is manufactured by the method formanufacturing the liquid material composed of hydrogen and oxygenaccording to claim
 1. 7. A liquid material composed of hydrogen andoxygen, wherein the hydrogen and oxygen exist as liquid materials underconditions of −190 to −250° C. and 3 to 300 kgf/cm2.
 8. A method formanufacturing a regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen, whereinthe liquid material composed of hydrogen and oxygen, which ismanufactured by the method for manufacturing the liquid materialcomposed of hydrogen and oxygen according to claim 1, is stored andthereafter gasified.
 9. The method for manufacturing a regasified gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen according to claim 8, wherein heating isperformed when gasifying the liquid material composed of hydrogen andoxygen.
 10. The method for manufacturing a regasified gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen according to claim 9, wherein the temperature of theliquid material is returned to a normal temperature by the heating. 11.A device for manufacturing a regasified gas composed of hydrogen andoxygen, the device being used for practicing the method formanufacturing a regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen accordingto claim 8, the device comprising: (A) an electrolytic bath; (B) anelectrode group provided at an interval of 3 to 10 mm in theelectrolytic bath; (C) a vibratory agitation unit for subjecting anelectrolytic solution in the electrolytic bath to vibratory agitation;(D) a unit for collecting a generated gas composed of hydrogen andoxygen; (E) a unit for liquidizing the collected gas composed ofhydrogen and oxygen by cooling; (F) a unit for storing a liquid materialobtained by the unit for liquidizing, and (G) a unit for regasifying theliquid material.
 12. A regasified gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen,which is manufactured by the method for manufacturing the regasified gascomposed of hydrogen and oxygen according to claim
 8. 13. The regasifiedgas composed of hydrogen and oxygen according to claim 12, whereinhydrogen and oxygen do not substantially react with each other under apressure of 3 to 300 kgf/cm2 but exist stably in gas states in a metalcontainer.
 14. (canceled)
 15. The fuel according to claim 6, wherein thefuel generates substantially no carbonic acid gas while burning.
 16. Thefuel according to claim 7, wherein the fuel generates substantially nocarbonic acid gas while burning.
 17. The fuel according to claim 12,wherein the fuel generates substantially no carbonic acid gas whileburning.